ii8 JUSTIN MORGAN 



frame of apples trees, stood a long, low house. Rever- 

 ently the men lifted the burden from the horse's back, 

 and, with lowered heads and measured tread, they bore 

 it into the house. 



Goss waited patiently. He heard a robin singing in an 

 apple tree among the rustling leaves. He watched a 

 hairy woodpecker run up the side of a tree, using his 

 bill as a pick-axe and scaling off bits of bark sideways 

 as he ran, disturbing a squirrel who sprang nimbly from 

 limb to limb. A meadow-lark dipped across the sky over 

 level fields of delicious beans, maize and scjuashes ; a 

 partridge called from the distance and fleecy clouds 

 floated across the now full-risen sun casting long shad- 

 ows on the lake, like the spirit of Hiawatha's white canoe 

 — to the southward grim Regiohne, gloomy sentinel of 

 rock, kept guard. Around all the fine frame of mountains 

 ranged. 



In the golden morning sunshine Nature glowed with 

 happiness. Then all at once a low sound came to Goss's 

 pricking ears, the sound of a woman weeping, and a 

 shadow fell across the doorway, as of an angel's wing. 



The Goss horse played his part, too, in many fine af- 

 fairs. The following year at the inauguration of the 

 Preacher-Governor, Jonas Galusha, he had the honor of 

 carrying the newly-elected Chief Magistrate in the grand 

 parade. Crowds shouted and cheered as they passed, 

 drums were beaten and guns fired. Goss was almost 

 as much noticed as the Governor himself ! 



The Executive spoke in the town hall, outside which 

 the horse waited. Goss could hear the applause now and 

 then, and when the speech was finished a wag cried out : 



"Now let's sing 'Mear' !" 



Every one knew that "Mear" was the Governor's fa- 



